Electrokinetic properties and surface membrane sialic acid status of platelets in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

Continuous flow electrophoresis has been used to investigate heterogeneity in the circulating platelets from patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenia (ITP) and from age- and sex-matched control donors. The ITP patients' platelet counts ranged from 15 to 80 X 10(9)/l and they had much higher mean volumes and significantly higher (two-fold) total cell and neuraminidase-labile surface sialic acid contents expressed per unit cell than normal. After volume normalization the mean difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. The relationships of these findings to abnormal thrombopoiesis and to molecular recognition for reticuloendothelial system (RES) removal are discussed.